A sacred place for students taking exams! Kameoka Monju, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom in Tohoku [Yamagata Prefecture]

Kameoka Monjudo located in Takahata Town, Higashiokitama District, Yamagata Prefecture is said to bring blessings for various matters requiring wisdom, such as prayers for passing exams, fulfilling one's wishes, and business prosperity

This time, we'll be writing about Kameoka Monjudo, a place that sees a flood of students every year during exam season!

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What is Kameoka Monjudo?

"Kameoka Monjudo" Manjusri , which belongs to Daishoji Temple, a temple of the Shingon sect of Buddhism located in Kameoka, Takahata-machi, Higashiokitama-gun, Yamagata Prefecture . The principal image of Daishoji Temple, which is the head temple, is Dainichi Nyorai, but because the Monjudo Hall is so famous, the temple is often commonly referred to as "Kameoka Monju."

the temple was founded in 807 when a Hosso sect monk, Tokuitsu , moved the Manjusri Bodhisattva, which had been brought from Mount Wutai in China and enshrined on Mount Shinro in Ise Province, to this place by imperial order. At the time, it was called Monju-ji Temple.

During the Sengoku period, when Date Masamune Naoe Kanetsugu was held here, and the temple was revered by the rulers of the time.

The 100 poems dedicated at this time the Kameoka Hyakushu , and most of the handwritten poems are still preserved at the temple. Among them are works by well-known military commanders, such as seven Chinese poems by Naoe Kanetsugu and five Japanese poems by Maeda Keiji

During the Edo period, the fifth shogun of the Edo shogunate Tokugawa Tsunayoshi , awarded the temple with the rank of Chunagon and a red seal as a Monju-do territory, and the temple has long been known as a "famous temple in the world."

Manjusri is the Bodhisattva of Wisdom

Manjusri Bodhisattva enshrined in the Monjudo Hall , is one of the bodhisattvas worshipped in Mahayana Buddhism, and is generally regarded the bodhisattva of wisdom "Three heads are better than one."

For this reason, it is said that the shrine has blessings for various matters that require wisdom, such as passing exams, and during New Year's visits and exam season, the shrine is bustling with many students who come to pray at Kameoka Monju

One of the three great Manjusri of Japan

one of the three great Manjusri temples in Japan, along with Abe Monjuin Temple in Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture, and Kirido Monju Temple at Chionji Temple in Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture, as "Kameoka in Dewa, Abe in Yamato, Kirido in Tango.

However, there are usually several candidates for the Japanese University of.... The Three Monjus of Japan is no exception

• Nakayama Monju of Yamashiro (Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture)
• Mount Godai Chikurinji Temple in Tosa (Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture)
• Monjusenji Temple in Kunisaki, Buzen (Kunisaki City, Oita Prefecture)
• Kakeyu Monjudo in Shinano (Kakeyu Onsen, Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture)

Also seems to be a candidate

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Water of Wisdom "Tone Water"

you will find called "Rikonsui," which is said to grant you the wisdom of Monju Bodhisattva

This spring water has been selected as one of the 100 best springs in Yamagata and is a famous rural water source

Don't forget to have a sip when you visit!

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"Pencil of Wisdom" for praying for success in exams

The temple office to the left of the Monju-do Hall sells a variety of souvenirs that are likely to bring good luck in passing exams

amulets and talismans the "Pencil of Wisdom" shown in the photo below even something called "Passing Exam Rice" that has been blessed with good fortune for passing exams

This time I bought a Kameoka Monju stamp and the most practical item for me, the "Pencil of Wisdom." I don't have any exams coming up, but wisdom never hurts!

By the way, the shop along the approach to the shrine has an even more varied lineup, including "Wisdom Candy," "Passing Sweet Chestnuts," "Passing Headband," "Passing Daruma," "Wisdom Konjac," "Wisdom Grilled Dumplings," and more... It might be fun to look for something that appeals to you

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summary

Generally, when people think of shrines to pray for success in exams, they often visit shrines dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the Heian period's greatest scholar, man of letters, and politician, known as Tenjin, the god of learning. However , if you also visit the shrines dedicated to Manjusri Bodhisattva, who governs wisdom, you might as well have passed your exams already.

This is a spot that you should definitely visit at least once, as it is part of Japan's largest area in Tohoku

Kameoka Monju <Information>

• Name: Kameoka Monju (Daishoji Temple)
• Address: Kameoka, Takahata-machi, Higashiokitama-gun, Yamagata Prefecture, 992-0321
• Phone number: 0238-52-0444
• Official URL: https://kameokamonju.jp/

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